Theresa May outlines key measures in Investigatory Powers Bill

The Home Secretary has announced new powers for police and security services
in tracking the public’s internet use

By Claire Lomas

12:44PM GMT 04 Nov 2015

Communications firms will be legally required to help spies hack into suspects' smartphones and computers under a new ‘snooping law’ unveiled today.

Home Secretary Theresa May has revealed that domestic providers will be obliged to assist authorities in "giving effect to equipment interference" under the draft Investigatory Powers Bill.

She argued that the bill will establish "world-leading oversight to govern an investigatory powers regime which is more open and transparent than anywhere else in the world".

Theresa May (photo: BBC)

The Investigatory Powers Bill allows agencies to interfere with electronic equipment in order to obtain data such as communication from a device.

It can involve remote access to computers to covertly download the contents of a mobile phone during a search.

This is not a new power and a number of firms already assist in the activities voluntarily, officials said, but they will now be legally obliged to provide assistance in future.

Privacy campaigners see the new requirement as a major extension of surveillance powers. However, Mrs May has insisted that security services will not be allowed to access web users' full browsing histories under the new powers.

She said it was "simply wrong" to suggest that new powers in the draft Investigatory Powers Bill to access "internet connection records" would allow the collection of someone's full web history.

The Home Secretary explained it would allow the likes of the police and GCHQ to know if someone has visited a social media website like Facebook - but not which pages they looked at, who they communicated with, or what they said.

She said the publication of the bill is a “decisive moment”:

"Never before has so much information been in the public domain about the activities of our police and security services, as well as the oversight, safeguard and authorisation arrangements which govern them.

"I am clear we need to update our legislation to ensure it is modern, fit for purpose and can respond to emerging threats as technology advances.

"There should be no area of cyberspace which is a haven for those who seek to harm us to plot, poison minds and peddle hatred under the radar.

"But I am also clear that the exercise and scope of investigatory powers should be clearly set out and subject to stringent safeguards and robust oversight."